


Try

by themidnight_ghost



Category: Six - Marlow/Moss
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/F, Fluff, How Do I Tag, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-24
Updated: 2021-02-03
Packaged: 2021-03-12 23:41:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28893831
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/themidnight_ghost/pseuds/themidnight_ghost
Summary: Anne Boleyn lost everything when she accidentally resurrected Henry VIII. Now it's all up to her to fix her mistakes, but hopefully, she won’t have to do it alone.
Relationships: Anne Boleyn/Catherine Parr
Comments: 18
Kudos: 34





	1. Anne Boleyn

When Catherine Parr walked downstairs that morning, she was met with the now-familiar silence and uncomfortable energy lurking around the breakfast table. 

“Is everyone okay?” Cathy whispered to her Godmother as she turned on the coffee machine. 

“It’s been a week, and Kat refuses to come out of her room.” The survivor chewed her bottom lip, “Anna believes it’s her fault for being so neglectful and won’t even mention _her_ name. Jane is furious, not to mention depressed! And I’ve just ordered an extra security lock and one of those camera doorbells.” Catalina gestured to her iPad. 

Cathy collected her coffee, “And has anyone seen Annie?” 

“Anne.” Jane corrected from across the table. Her eyes were red and puffy. 

“No one’s seen her since the incident.” ‘Lina placed a comforting hand on Cathy’s arm, 

“Forget about her, Cathy. She’s probably off galavanting with Henry in malibu.” 

Cathy’s blood boiled at Jane’s comment and her hands balled into fists, “You can’t say that.” 

“Oh, can I not?” Jane sassed, “She had a choice of everyone! Mae, Liz, Mary and Eddie, but instead she chose the scumbag who got us here in the first place!” 

“There should be a reason!” Cathy argued back. 

“Then, what was it? What was worth losing everything?” 

And with that, Jane Seymour stormed up to her room, only stopping to pull down a framed photo of the 6 queens at Disneyland from the wall. Anna of Cleves looked apologetically at both Catherine’s and followed Jane, resting the picture on the kitchen table as she left. 

That night, Cathy slept alone again. She would usually try to get some sleep before a 2-show day, but the thought of Anne kept her head buzzing. The writer couldn’t help but wonder where her ex-girlfriend was, why Anne betrayed them or if she was ever coming back. The constant questions spiralled and confused the usually logical queen, forcing her to groan into her pillow. She still remembered the day when everything fell apart. 

Anne rushed into the writer’s arms with tear-stains carved into her makeup. The Boleyn girl cried until her voice was hoarse and when she finally began to tell Cathy what she’d done - it was too late. A rough knock came from the door, and Jane opened it to reveal their ex-husband, resurrected. Anne burst into a fit of tears and screams as she clawed onto Cathy’s jumper in fright as Henry approached them, a merciless grin on his face. 

Nothing had changed. 

Anne eventually let go of Cathy, backing herself into a wall. Cathy still cringes at what Henry did next. The monarch stroked Anne’s cheek with his thumb, wiping off a tear. 

No one helped her. 

“Thank you, my dear.” Henry’s voice was deep, raspy and echoed off the house walls. 

“You helped him?” Jane stated. 

“He forced me!” Anne was on the verge of a panic attack. 

“The universe gave her a choice,” Henry butted in, “Me, Mary, Elizabeth, Edward or Mary. She chose me.” 

“You choose who you could resurrect?” Jane’s shout almost tore the house down. 

“He- we- we had a plan-” Anne could barely speak, she trembled and clawed at her sides while attempting to back herself further into the wall. She could scarcely breathe between her tears. 

“Jane wait-” ‘Lina grabbed the mother by her arm, pulling her away from the Boleyn girl. 

Amongst the chaos, Henry snuck out the door. Anna of Cleves tried to contain herself as she comforted a sobbing Katherine Howard. Catalina and Jane were at each other’s throats about Anne Boleyn, and Catherine Parr just stared at the mess of a person she used to call her girlfriend. 

The next morning, Anne’s bed was found empty, and most of her belongings had been taken away. The house was never the same after that. Henry was back, Anne was lost, Jane was mourning, Kat was scared, Anna felt guilty, Catalina didn’t go to church and Cathy was single. 

Back in bed, the writer had just learnt to live with it, she concealed her thoughts and fears into writing and tried to trick her mind into thinking this was only temporary. 

“Tomorrow will be different.” The writer murmured. 

Tomorrow was different. The queens would do their first show as a group since Anne left and Anna somehow forgot to get oat milk before heading to the theatre. 

“I’ll go get it, I need to clear my head anyway.” Cathy grabbed the spare keys, getting a headstart. The writer cautiously headed to the nearest tube station and took a metro to oxford street. Most of the queens drank oat milk because it was healthier and they didn’t want Kat to feel left out, so Selfridges was visited regularly on weekends. 

Walking down the road, Catherine noticed something peculiar. A homeless woman was sleeping on the pavement, her back propped up against the building’s wall; she was covered in blankets. 

Anna co-owned a business with Kat where they helped the homeless get back on their feet, and this often resulted in the queens knowing all of them by name. But this woman was different, and Cathy didn’t recognise her. 

“Hello?” The writer cautiously approached, “Have you been here long-?” Cathy gasped when she registered the ebony hair which framed the woman’s face. “Annie?” 

The 6th queen crouched beside the sleeping clump, carefully pulling back the hem of the blanket so she could see the owner’s face and her fear was confirmed right. Anne’s lips were chapped, there was dirt on her face, the faint remains of a bruise on her left eye and a cut on her chin. 

Cathy entered a state of crisis. She still loved Anne, but she couldn’t forgive her for what she did. But then again, was she really going to let her rot on the side of the road? No one deserved that. 

The Boleyn girl stirred in her sleep, and Cathy instinctively placed a small hand on her shoulder, “You’re alright.” She whispered, and Anne’s body relaxed. 

Cathy felt around for her wallet and pulled out two £20 notes, proceeding to stuff them into Anne’s hood. She took one last look at the remains of Anne Boleyn before kissing her middle and index fingers and resting them against Anne’s shoulder as a goodbye. Cathy then pulled back the blankets and walked in the other direction. The oat milk could wait. 

During the next few days, Cathy always passed Anne’s street corner on her way to the theatre, making it her mission to leave small amounts of cash in the 2nd queen’s hood. 

On the fourth day, Cathy returned to see Anne awake and drinking something from a flask. Thinking fast, the writer pulled over a stranger and pressed the cash into their hand, 

“Please can you give this to the homeless woman on the street corner?” 

“I beg your pardon?” The stranger twirled the cash between her fingers, 

“Would you mind giving that to the homeless woman?” Cathy pointed at Anne, “I used to know her and I’ve been stopping by every day to give her small amounts of cash.” The stranger looked doubtful, “Please?” 

“You’re doing a good deed.” The stranger reluctantly accepted, and Cathy spied from behind a telephone box as the stranger crossed the road and handed Anne the cash. The 6th queen grinned as Anne almost dropped her flask to shake the stranger’s hand, the words ‘thank you’ escaping her mouth multiple times. 

However, Anne’s face dropped slightly as the woman shook her head and gestured to the surrounding area, and Cathy couldn’t help feeling a little guilty. But at least Anne had something to eat that night. 

The cycle continued for weeks. Anne was dropped secret amounts of cash from random strangers each day until Catherine finally decided to face her fears. 

The survivor had just ordered a pair of sausage rolls from Greggs, and it took everything in her not to turn back. Cathy felt like she was walking in slow motion as she approached, her heart was thumping in her ears way too much, and she clenched her jaw. What if Anne didn't want to see her again? There had to be a reason for her continuous absence and even worst, what if Henry was lurking in the bins. 

“Annie?” Cathy’s voice was barely a whisper as Anne whipped her head around, her jaw-dropping. 

Both queens starred in silence before Cathy inaudibly handed Anne the sausage roll, sitting beside her on the pavement. 

“Thank you.” Anne tensed her shoulders and hid her face, “I wish you didn’t see me like this.” 

“It’s alright.” Cathy awkwardly assured, “Is it warm enough?” 

“It’s great, thank you.” The conversation was horribly formal. “How did you find me, anyway?” 

“A few weeks ago I went to buy some oat milk and passed you. I’ve been leaving cash in your hood.” 

Cathy swore she could see Anne tear up. 

“That was you?” 

“Yeah, sorry if it was weird.” 

“You have no idea how much I appreciated those! With that money, I brought a flask, gloves, a new coat, blankets and even a sleeping bag!” Cathy tried to stifle a laugh as Anne showed off her possessions with pride, “And next, I’m gonna buy a tent! So, thank you, Cath.” 

The nickname struck a nerve and Cathy tried not to cry as she finished her sausage roll. 

“Is there anything I could bring you tomorrow?” 

“Deodorant!” Anne quipped, 

A smile graced Cathy's face, even after so long the pair fell back into their casual conversation as nothing had happened. So much had changed but their relationship was still stable as both queen's pushed past their doubts in exchange for an unfamiliar feeling of home and familiarity. 

“Yeah, but you’ve always needed that!” Cathy fired back. Anne dramatically gasped and held a hand to her chest. “Seriously though, what do you need?” 

“You’ve done too much for me already.” The Boleyn girl grasped Cathy’s hand before she could go. “It would be rude to ask for me, especially after… well, you know what. So thank you.” 

“Anytime.” Anne’s hand lingered longer than necessary, and in any other circumstance, Cathy would’ve kissed Anne’s knuckles and told her she loved her. Instead, Anne let go, and they parted ways until the next day. 

* * *

It got to the point where Cathy would leave the house an hour early to see Anne. 

_The lonely, gay, writer leaves her found family to pick up the pieces from her ex-girlfriend’s destruction while she shares a sausage roll with said ex._ It sounds like a news header. 

Every other day, Cathy would supply Anne with the daily essentials and Anne would take her on a walk around London, showing her all the city’s secrets. 

Like the money, this continued until Cathy saw Anne packing up her belongings and blankets. 

“What’s going on?” 

“They’re moving me. They want me gone by the end of the day because it looks bad for their brand.” Anne explained. 

“Who? Selfridges?” 

Anne nodded solemnly. 

“We are never buying from them again. Come on, you can stay with me.” Cathy picked up a blanket. 

“You know I probably have fleas, right? There’s this homeless man who I’m friends with, and his dog is always scratching. I can’t stay at your house.” Anne grabbed the blanket from Cathy’s hands. 

“We have flea spray at home from when Kat found that puppy.” Cathy snatched the blanket back. 

“Have you forgotten the four people living there who hate me? One of them is my cousin.” Anne claimed the blanket. 

“Big deal, don’t think I haven’t noticed those bruises on your neck and wrists. I know what you’re doing. 40 quid a week isn’t enough to buy a tent, Anne.” 

The energy dipped and reclaiming the blanket was annoyingly easy. 

The Boleyn girl hushed her voice and twiddled her thumbs, “That was uncalled for.”

“Please?” Anne practically melted when Cathy cupped her cheek, “Come home with me.” 

“Okay.” 

Smuggling a gremlin into the house was more problematic than Cathy thought. Anne had to wait in the garden until the queens had gone to bed and then climb up into Cathy’s window without making a sound. 

“Put your leg up!’ Cathy whisper-shouted. 

“Do you really think I'm THAT flexible?!” Anne laughed, “I haven’t done the splits in 5 weeks!” 

“Lower your voice, you crackhead! Jane is right below us.” 

“Oh, fuck Jane!” Anne winked at Cathy who almost dropped the Boleyn girl back onto the grass. 

“Just pull!” 

Finding strength, Cathy pulled Anne through the window, so she landed on top of her, the pair erupting into fits of laughter. 

“I swear someone would’ve heard that.!” Anne worried,

“Holy mother of god- you do stink!” Cathy slid out from under Anne and closed her nose. 

* * *

“Do you still have that coconut shampoo?” Anne fidgeted around their bathroom, liked she belonged there. 

“It should be under the sink.” Cathy scrolled through her phone. 

“I still don’t get why you have to be in here,” Anne muttered. 

“Because someone has to be in a bathroom for it to be locked! That’s just basic knowledge!” Cathy glanced up from her phone as Anne removed her top, “besides, it’s nothing I haven’t seen before.” 

“You’re lucky I’m only letting that comment slide because I haven’t felt hot water in weeks.” 

Cathy knew she shouldn’t, but that didn’t stop her from wincing at the bruises on Anne’s back. 

“How’d you get those bruises?” 

“Looking already, are we?” Anne turned the shower on. 

“I’m just curious.” 

“I was given the last packet of socks at the homeless shelter, and some dudes were pretty desperate. Which is stupid because I would’ve given them a pair if they’d asked.” 

The writer nodded but needed to ask one last question.

“What about the cuts on your arm?” 

“What cuts.” 

What should’ve been a question came out as a statement, and Anne quickly ended their conversation. Still, that didn’t stop Catherine from eying the vertical cuts above Anne’s wrist which were carved into her skin like the scar on her neck. 

Cathy stayed silent for the remainder of Anne’s shower. The stream of water calmed her, and the steam put her muscles at ease. Anne hummed the faint tune of a lullaby, and for once, everything was back to normal. 

Anne was sunk back into Cathy’s room smelling of strawberries and coconut, they sprayed flea killer on almost all of Anne’s belongings (despite Cathy’s protests). Before ending the night on Cathy’s carpet eating ice cream and watching Tangled. 

Once Anne had passed out on the writer’s shoulder, she began scribbling down her thoughts in her notebook: 

_‘Why do we fall in love so easily? Even when it’s not right? I don’t know how it all turned to lies, and sometimes I think it’s better to never ask why. And even though Anne hurt me, I can’t help but forgive her.’_


	2. Katherine Howard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anne tries to make things right with her cousin and finally reveals the untold truth, and Cathy doesn’t know if she should follow her head or her heart.
> 
> Aka, Katherine finds out that the sad, lonely, gay writer has smuggled her gremlin cousin into their home.

Anne Boleyn awoke, she adjusted herself to move her neck but stopped when she realised it was nestled into Catherine Parr's collarbone. She tensed then hesitantly relaxed, savouring the familiar smell and comfort she hadn’t had in so long. The Boleyn girl closed her eyes once more and smiled slightly, fantasising about what life could’ve been is she hadn’t cared so much. 

Now it was Catherine’s turn to wake up. Anne felt Cathy’s breath hitch, and she quickly removed her head to give the writer some space. Unfortunately, this now meant that Cathy was taller.

“Morning,” Cathy mumbled, glancing down at Anne’s lips then back to her eyes.

“Morning,” Anne replied stiffly. 

“Did you sleep okay?” The writer’s voice was husky, and Anne didn’t miss Cathy’s subtle glances. 

“Yeah, I slept brilliantly.” Anne trailed off as Cathy tipped her chin upwards, 

“When I first saw you, there was a cut here.” Cathy brushed her fingers over a spot on Anne’s chin, “Looks like it healed well.” 

I Anne wasn't awake then, Cathy's morning abruptness meant she was now. Not meeting her eyes, the 6th queen hesitated. 

Anne’s voice turned to a whisper, “What are you thinking about?” 

“It doesn’t matter.” 

Cathy glanced at the Boleyn girl’s lips once again before moving in. Anne’s eyes fluttered closed as the air became thicker and she could feel Cathy’s breath igniting something she hadn’t felt in a while. 

_ Knock, knock.  _

“Cathy, Jane was wondering why you’ve not come down for breakfast yet.” 

The chippy voice of Katherine Howard was enough to make a grown man scream, especially if he was about to lock lips with Anne Boleyn.

The 5th queen gasped at the sight. Kat had started to walk around the house a little more and even came down for occasional meals. At this point, she’d seen too much to be embarrassed and was furious that her cousin had been let back into their house. 

“What the fuck, Cathy.” 

“I can explain!” 

“I don’t want a fucking explanation!” 

On any other day, Anne would’ve called her younger cousin out on her language, but she decided to keep quiet. 

“I want her gone.” Katherine stormed out. 

“What got her ponytail in a twist?” 

Cathy shot the 2nd queen a look which could kill before chasing Katherine to her room. 

“Okay,” The writer began, “First off, language. That was unacceptable, and you know it. Second of all, Anne needed a place to stay; I wasn’t going to let her rot on the streets.” 

“Okay, Cathy. How about this? I don’t care if she was living with Beyonce or freaking Billie Eilish! She ruined our family and resurrected someone we all agreed didn’t deserve to exist! Do you have any idea of the pain she caused me?! That was my cousin.” 

“I get you’re angry, I do.” 

Katherine dived onto her bed and stuck her head into her pillow, 

“No, you don't, Cathy. You live in a little world where everyone can be forgiven with a snap of their fingers, but that isn’t what reality is like. You relieve the oppressor of guilt when everyone else suffers.” 

Catherine rested herself against the backboard as she ran her hands through Kat’s hair. 

“Sometimes, it’s easier to forgive.” 

“What would you know.” Kat’s voice was toxic, but she soon rephrased the question, “Scratch that, what’d you mean?” 

“It helps your soul find peace so you can move on. It’s hard but necessary for both parties.” 

“It’s like you forget what she did to us. Do you know how many nights I spent crying about that man, how many nightmares? The trauma I’ve had to work through for my cousin just to reverse it?” Katherine sobbed, “it’s easier for you.” 

“Believe me,” Cathy sighed, “I can’t imagine how hard it is for you, but it’s been fucking hard for me.” 

“I don’t think I’ve ever heard you swear before.” Katherine looked up with curiosity.

“I loved her, I invested everything I had into that relationship, and what I gave I got back. Life was perfect.” Cathy swallowed, “But then everything changed. I woke up one morning, and she’d gone. She didn’t leave a note, and I certainly didn’t get a letter. Everyone was telling me to get over it, but I was in shock. My life turned upside down in 24 hours, and what had once become routine became a distant memory. I swear a part of me thought she was dead when I saw her on the pavement.” 

“Is that why you forgave her? Because you missed her?” 

“I forgave her because my moments with her were the best. She made me really happy, Kat. Even small moments like the one this morning, she feels like home.” Cathy couldn’t believe what she was saying, “Which is why you can’t tell Jane. You don’t have to forgive her, and I don’t expect that of you. I just need her here, please?” 

“You don’t deserve her.” 

“I love her. I can’t help that.” 

Katherine wiped the tears from her eyes as she thought.

“I won’t tell anyone, I promise.” 

“Thank you, thank you so much!” Catherine pulled Kat into a hug, relief flooding them both, “And as much as I hate to ask, will you help me smuggle up some food?” 

“Only because she’s my cousin,” Katherine spoke into Cathy’s shoulder. 

“Thank you. You should head down before Jane gets suspicious.” Cathy wiped Kat’s remaining tears with her thumbs, letting her go to the door. 

“Oh, and Cathy?” Kat poked her head around the door, “If we get caught, it’s your funeral.” 

Catherine nodded, falling back on the bed whilst, releasing the breath she didn’t know she was holding before rejoining Anne. 

The 2nd queen was already dressed and relaxing in front of Cathy’s open window, grinning as she felt the cool breeze on her face. 

“Kat won’t tell.” Cathy pulled out her clothes for that day. 

“That’s a relief. I honestly thought I would be kicked out again.” Anne laughed. 

“Can I ask?” Cathy began, pulling up her jeans, “Why didn’t you leave a note when you left?” 

“I wanted to. I had one written explaining the details Henry didn’t mention, and I had a separate one for you, but Jane didn’t want anyone reading them. She claimed I tore the family apart and ruined the perfect life she’d created for us. I tried to get through to Anna, but she was with Kat and Jane wouldn’t let me out the kitchen to get my stuff.” Anne turned to the writer, changing the subject when she saw Cathy’s eyes, “Have you been crying?”

“Only a little,” Cathy admitted. 

“I’m sorry for all the pain I caused you.” Anne walked towards her ex-girlfriend. 

“Save it for the others, yeah?” Cathy took her hands, and Anne nodded solemnly. 

Leaving Anne upstairs, Cathy joined the queens sitting together, leaving a space between her and Kat. The energy was relatively calming, but no one missed Kat sneaking food under the table. 

“What are you doing that for?” Anna of Cleves gestured to the pancake.

“An ugly looking dog is circling our house so I figured I’d try to lead it away.” Kat half-lied. 

“Must be an ugly ass dog if you don’t want to keep it.” Anna quipped much to Jane’s disappointment. 

“Oh believe me,” Kat dramatically turned to Cathy, “It is.” 

“You are a terrible influence on us all.” Catalina exaggerated. 

“Not as bad a Boleyn though! That girl would heelie around the house non stop!” 

To Cathy’s surprise, the energy didn’t dull. 

“Remember when she broke Jane’s vase?” Kat reminisced. 

“I was supposed to sell that on eBay.” Jane’s tone was harsh until her lips curled into a smile, “You have no idea how uncomfortable that was to explain to the buyer.” 

Anna stood from the table and to mock Jane's posh London accent, “‘Hello? Yes, this is the Tudor queen Jane Seymour, I’m afraid to inform you that my predecessor, Anne Boleyn, broke your vase.’”

Jane slapped Anna on the hand, “I do not speak like that!” 

“Are you kidding? I think Anna’s impression was spot on!” The 1st queen complimented. 

“Oh! Remember when Anne spent a week planning that elaborate beach date for Cathy, only for it to rain when they arrived?” 

“It didn’t stop her from dragging me into the water, though.” Cathy smiled to herself before standing, “I should head up. I have some writing to finish.” 

“Cathy, wait! You should take this,” Kat handed her the pancake, “You didn’t eat much, and you could get hungry.” 

“Thanks, Kat.” 

* * *

Cathy felt sorry for Anne as she wolfed down the pancake, but all that sorrow evaporated when the Boleyn girl complained about there not being enough Nutella. 

“Okay, Cath.” Anne licked her fingers, “I have a plan which might help salvage my bond with Kat.” 

“I hate to burst your bubble, but there isn’t much to salvage.” 

“So, using the remaining money you gave me on the street, I booked Kat and me in for…” Anne drum-rolled on her lap, which made Cathy chuckle. 

The very sound of the writer’s laughter produced so much euphoria that Anne wanted to jump downstairs and announce her presence to the queens before kissing Cathy and dragging her out of the door like something from a movie. 

“PLATE-SMASHING!” 

“What the hell is plate-smashing?” Cathy giggled. 

“It’s where you get three plates to write or draw anything on, then you throw them against the wall and unleash all your pent up emotions!”

“Are you sure that’s wise?” Cathy doubted, “Kat has a lot of conflicting emotions which could backfire.” 

“I mean, what’s she going to do? Throw a plate at me?” 

“Probably. You saw how angry she was this morning. It’s risky.” 

“I need a driver.” Anne changed the subject. 

“She described you as an ugly-looking dog at breakfast.” 

“I need a driver.”

“Annie, I’m happy to drive you. I just don’t know if this is a good idea.” 

“Look, I know my cousin better than anyone. I just need you to help me.” 

Cathy rubbed her temple, 

“Alright, what time is the session?” 

“It’s in an hour!” Cathy swore Anne was half puppy. When she smiled, the writer could imagine her tail wagging happily as her ears sat contently on her head, perking up at the thought of making things right again. 

“You head out the window and meet me by the car in a few. I’ll get kat.” 

* * *

The drive to the smash room was uncomfortable to say the last. There was a dark, eerie fog that lingered over the trio and ceased to dissipate. 

Katherine Howard had explained multiple times that she felt uncomfortable and that she was only going along with this ‘plan’ because she was curious. 

Anne Boleyn just silently nodded and picked at her fingernails in the back seat. 

Catherine Parr internally debated if she was making all the right choices, Anne wasn’t usually one to think through a plan so what if something went wrong and she needed Cathy to get her out. But why should Cathy waste her time on someone like Anne? But what if this plan did work and Anne moved back in and everything returned to normal? Goddamit, she needed to focus on the road. 

Deciding not to join in, Cathy left the beheaded cousins stranded outside their destination. 

“Temper Tank?” Katherine deadpanned. 

“It sounds bad-” Anne began, 

Her cousin cut her off, “I dont need some sort of temper therapy. I’m fine how I am.” 

“Really? Because it doesn’t seem that way.” Anne snapped, “I’m genuinely trying, Kitty. Just humour me for half an hour!” 

“Half an hour is all you get.”

Katherine couldn’t help but be excited at the prospect of spending time with Anne. It didn’t help that she was also extremely curious about the trip despite the many things which could go wrong. 

“Hi, welcome to Temper Tank. How can I help you?” 

“I have a season with my cousin.” 

“Of course! You must be Anne. Let me give you these.” The woman at the front desk handed the cousins two pairs of gloves and three plates each. “What colour sharpies would you like?” 

“Green, please.” Anne studied Kat’s face carefully, despite not speaking for months, Anne would always remember her younger cousins’ favourite colour. “And pink.” 

“Perfect! Room 206.” 

Walking away from the front desk, Katherine finally spoke up. 

“I’m surprised you remembered that.” 

“Of course I’d remember that! How could I even forget!” 

“Yeah, that was pretty stupid of me.” 

“I’d see why you’d think that though, come on, let’s smash some plates!” 

The cousins walked into a small room with the walls painted black and a single hanging light in the centre. It was separated in half by a thin sheet of glass, facing them was a large target merely hanging above the floor littered with china. 

“Who are you adding?” Anne asked like she didn’t already know the answer. 

“Henry Mannox, Francis Dereham, Thomas Culpepper, Henry and of course, you.” Anne’s stomach dropped. “But I wouldn’t put you on a plate with that lot. You deserve your own.” 

Anne didn’t know if she should like that comment. The whole thought of being one of Kat’s triggers really messed her up. She spent so long trying to help her cousin, but now she just felt like she was putting her under more stress. 

“Who’s going on yours?” 

Anne broke from her trance, “Henry, Jane, pretty much my whole family other than you and George.” 

“Why, Jane?” Katherine littered her plate with sarcastic love hearts. 

“She wouldn’t let me tell the truth. She didn’t believe me.” 

“Well, what is the truth?” 

Anne swallowed. She waited for this moment when someone would finally hear her side of the story. Not even Cathy asked her what really happened. 

“Before I could resurrect someone, I was allowed to speak to each soul personally. I used this time to speak to my daughter, apologise to Mary, and introduce myself to Edward and Mae. When it got to Henry, I was conflicted. I wasn’t going to give that scumbag the time of day, so I used the time to process my thoughts. I couldn’t resurrect my daughter and leave the others. Cathy had never even met Mae, and I had to take her history with Elizabeth into account. I could resurrect Edward, but what would Catalina think? Henry knew exactly what I was thinking.” 

The truth suddenly dawned on Katherine. 

“Two adult souls can split and make four child souls…” 

Anne continued, “You can’t just resurrect a person, Kitty. The deceased soul needs help from one of the living, and if Henry was truthful, we could use our combined souls to resurrect all four kids.” 

“But you would die?” 

“I would be dying to give my daughter a new life. Not to mention the others.” Anne admitted. “Unfortunately, Henry didn’t keep his word, despite being truthful about resurrecting the other kids. When he ran, I came back to the house as soon as I could to explain, but I was in such a panic that-” 

“No, I get it.” Kat placed a semi-comforting hand on Anne’s shoulder. “I still think you did a shitty thing, but I understand why you did it.” 

Katherine stood and held Anne’s plate in her hands before throwing it at the target and hitting in dead in the centre. 

“That’s for running away and living on the street.” 

The younger queen then pulled her cousin into a tight hug. 

“That’s for coming back.” 

“I didn’t really have a choice,” Anne humorously admitted. 

“Don’t ruin this moment.” 

The sun’s light eventually broke the eerie fog that lingered over the cousins, and Anne ended up taking Kat on an impulse trip to McDonald’s before Cathy picked them up. Even though things weren’t perfect, and Kat didn’t fully forgive her cousin for what she did, she understood why Anne did it and that her original intentions were good. 

When they finally arrived home, Katherine and her chicken nuggets exited, leaving Anne and Cathy alone in the front seats. 

“How did it go?” The writer turned down the radio, her eyes tracing Anne’s features in the streetlights. 

“It went well. I told Kat the truth, and she understood.” 

Cathy hesitated, not wanting to overstep, “What is the truth? You mentioned it with Jane and now with Kat. Tell me.” 

The survivor touched Anne’s thigh reassuringly, and the Boleyn girl explained everything. 

“You were going to give yourself for Mae?” Cathy’s voice cracked. 

Anne interlocked their fingers.

“I wanted you to be happy - you have no memory of her.” 

“That doesn’t mean you should go around selling your soul! You selfish, selfish girl.” Cathy’s voice laced with compassion, fear and I dare say love as she pressed their foreheads together.

Cathy’s lips brushed against Anne’s and the 2nd queen blushed at the close contact. 

“Are you alright?” Anne didn’t know why she whispered. 

Catherine was shaking. “I’m just taking some time to process.” 

“That makes sense. I think I’m going to give you some time alone.” Anne pulled away and kissed Cathy’s hand, “I’ll be climbing through the window if you need me.”

Once alone, the survivor groaned in frustration. Every time she thought she had something figured out, the universe changes course. She ran her hands through her curly hair and pulled out her notebook. Cathy wouldn’t usually take it everywhere, but it had become an anchor in the recent months and the only real way she could vent about her problems. 

_ ‘With Anne, there’s always a spark. Or in my case, a flame. And I guess, where there’s a flame, someone’s bound to get burned. But just because it burns doesn’t mean we’re going to die.’ _ Cathy paused, unsure of her next sentence,  _ ‘The burn is healing now, so maybe it’s time to try.’ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not me actually liking the end of this chapter. Anywho, like Anne, I am trying. Comments and kudos are always appreciated! x ☁️


	3. Anna of Cleves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anne meets someone unexpected on the roof...

Anne Boleyn was usually a heavy sleeper. She slept and continued sleeping until around 10 am when Jane would practically drag her out of bed. But tonight, on Cathy’s floor, Anne was restless. 

Earlier, the 2nd and 6th queen had a heated discussion about who would sleep on the floor and who would sleep on the bed. Anne refused to go anywhere near Cathy’s mattress until she’d made things right with everyone, and they both knew Anne didn’t deserve the treatment she was getting anyway. Cathy eventually gave up and pulled out a book. 

Now, the Boleyn girl was tired yet unable to sleep - everything was a distraction. Cathy’s rhythmic breathing, the occasional taxi which sped past the open window, the drunk shouts of men walking home from the pub down the road and of course, Anne’s thoughts. 

Eying the open window, Anne thought back to a time when everything was okay. She’d spend hours on the roof with Anna talking about their inner demons and the guilt they felt. For Anna, it was surviving and having a good life. The 4th queen always thought she shouldn’t be the one crying. As for Anne, it was more to escape the prying eyes of her family and country; they all painted her as a failure. 

Anne was the quietest she’d even been as she tiptoed over the floor and past Cathy’s papers so she could reach the window. Upon arrival she pried the latch open and slid under, grasping onto the ledge as she made her way towards the highest point. Anne let the occasional whisper-curse slip from her lips as she adjusted her footing amongst the tiles. It was harder not being in the attic. 

Reaching her destination, Anne propped herself against the sloping walls and drew her legs close to her chest, hugging herself. The air was fresh and pure like it was filtering through a fan, Anne gazed up at the stars with longing and a spark of hope in her eye. She enjoyed being alone with the moon shrouding her face. It helped her make sense of her thoughts and contemplate her actions, or in this case, the rising feelings she had for Catherine Parr. 

With or without Anna, Anne remembered when she wrote poems about Cathy once she discovered her feelings. Anne never imagined that it would work out, though. They were reincarnated Tudor queens who had been previously scared by love but found comfort in each other. Cathy was the only person who succeeded in breaking down her defences and the only queen Anne had a real connection with when dismissing Katherine. 

According to history, the whole thing was bullshit. But you should’ve seen Cathy’s face when Anne kissed her after their performance at The Olivier awards and opened up to the writer about her feelings. The youtube clip had been watched 13 million times and the gasp from the audience when Cathy finally nodded and admitted that her feelings reciprocated always made Anne chuckle. 

“Boleyn?” 

Anne squealed at the arrival of another person and quickly tensed up when she realised it was Cleves. 

“What the hell are you doing here?” 

Anna’s tone wasn’t malicious; instead, it was quite humorous, and the 4th queen chuckled as Anne fumbled for an answer.

“It doesn’t matter.” Anna sat beside Anne before looking up at the stars, “I figured it was only a matter of time before Cathy smuggled you into the house again. She couldn’t stop asking about you - it drove Jane bonkers. How long have you been here, anyway?” 

Anne was taken aback at Anna’s hospitality, “It’s my 2nd night here.” 

“Weird that-” Anna hesitated, “Cathy stopped mentioning you about two weeks ago.”

“She found me living on the street and decided to help by giving me money. Eventually, she couldn’t hide it anymore and started talking to me herself.” 

“The street? Jane said you were in Malibu with henry?” 

“Malibu? You have to be shitting me!” Anne scanned Anna’s face for any sign of a joke. “I left that wanker the moment he wouldn’t stay true to our deal. The plan was to resurrect the kids for the good of everyone else, but he bolted. When Jane kicked me out, I went looking for him so we could continue our deal. I found him in a local pub, running away from everything.” 

“Damn, Jane really hates you.” 

“Are you serious?” terror traced Anne’s face, “I always thought that was a stage act?” 

“Oh, it was. But now, Jane  _ really _ hates you.” Anna responded nonchalantly. 

Anne froze. Jane hated her? Anne may have done some terrible things, but she never wanted to hurt anyone and surely didn’t want anyone to hate her. These people were her family! To know Anne caused them pain was an unbearable thought, and the Boleyn girl could feel her walls crumbling. Let’s just say there was a reason for the cuts on her wrist. 

“Do you hate me?” Anne’s voice cracked, and she pressed her nails into her biceps to stop her tears. 

Anna stopped to contemplate the 2nd queen’s question. Unfortunately, this pause was too long, and Anne's walls tumbled. 

It started when a tear-streaked her left cheek and Anne cupped her mouth to prevent her sobs echoing into the night and waking the other queen’s. With all boundaries gone, Anne turned and cried into her friend’s shoulder,

“Am I a bad person Anna? Please don’t hate me.” 

“What the-” Baffled by the sudden emotion-explosion, Anna pulled the 2nd queen closer to her chest, “You’ve never been a bad person, babes. And I could never hate you.” 

Anna was never good at comforting anyone and often referred back to her own experiences. However, she had always been there for Anne before and wasn’t stopping now. 

“Besides, I’m technically the bad one here; I couldn’t stop Kat from hurting herself.” 

“Kat hurt herself because of me?” Anne’s heart broke before falling further into her stomach, giving the Boleyn girl a sick feeling of guilt and sorrow, “I’m the villain in this story, not you.”

“Woah,” Anna turned to face the 2nd queen, “Don’t say that, you didn’t mean to hurt her!” 

Anne curled into herself, “But I still did! It being an accident doesn’t change anything!” 

“Anne, listen.” Anna held Anne’s face, so they looked into each other’s eyes, “There isn’t a villain here, just a bunch of kids who made mistakes.” 

“But I-” 

“The thing with us is that we’re not bad people. A bad person is someone who deliberately causes harm or pain to others. You may be painted as a bad person to some, but it doesn’t mean you’re genuinely a bad person. Mistakes happen. Get over it and start living your life.” 

“You should hate me?” 

“But I don’t.” Anna brushed her hair back with her hand, “And you shouldn’t either.” 

With that, Anna of Cleves slid down the roof and back into her room, leaving Anne alone under the stars.

With no more tears left to cry, Anne felt empty. She didn’t intend to disclose everything to Anna, but it did feel good to get everything off her chest. She briefly closed her eyes in silent prayer and wallowed in the silence, palming the roof tile to pass the time. 

_ ‘I want to tell you everything, all the words I never got to say the first time around. But you are just a fool to keep pretending that you love me so even if I said anything, It wouldn’t matter.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anna was not qualified to deal with an emotional outburst at 3 am but honestly neither am I. Comments and Kudos are always appreciated. x ☁️

**Author's Note:**

> i need to work on my endings, haha -_- Anyway, new fic time, lemme know what you think x ☁️


End file.
